Supreme Court Mock Trial of Hamlet

Summary of YouTube Video: "The Trial of Hamlet"

Key Concepts:

• Criminal Responsibility: The mental state required for a person to be held accountable for their actions under the law.
• Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Type: A mental disorder characterized by a combination of schizophrenia symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking) and mood disorder symptoms (depression and mania).
• Hallucinations: False sensory perceptions (e.g., seeing or hearing things that aren't there).
• Delusions: False beliefs that are firmly held despite evidence to the contrary.
• Preponderance of the Evidence: The standard of proof in this case, meaning it is more likely than not that Hamlet lacked criminal responsibility.
• Ambivalence: A state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.
• Command Hallucinations: Hallucinations that instruct the individual to perform certain actions.

1. Introduction and Legal Framework

• The video presents a mock trial to determine Prince Hamlet's criminal responsibility for the killing of Polonius.
• The court defines criminal responsibility as the capacity to appreciate the criminality of one's conduct and to conform one's conduct to the requirements of the law.
• The jury must decide if Hamlet, due to a mental disorder, lacked this capacity at the time of Polonius's death.
• Evidence includes Shakespeare's account of the events and expert witness testimony.
• The defense bears the burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence.

2. Defense Opening Argument (Catherine Cryer)

• The defense argues that Hamlet exhibited behaviors indicative of mental illness, specifically schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type.
• These behaviors include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, bizarre behavior, and severe mood disturbances.
• Hamlet's grief over his father's death and his mother's hasty remarriage triggered a mental breakdown.
• The ghost's command to avenge his murder caused Hamlet to "lose his sovereignty and go mad."
• Hamlet's "antic disposition" was a disguise to cloak his mental deterioration.
• His cruel behavior towards Ophelia and his mother, and his claim of not knowing what he did after stabbing Polonius, are evidence of his mental state.
• The defense's expert witness, Dr. Lieberman, will testify that Hamlet was susceptible to schizoaffective disorder due to his age, circumstances, and stressors.

3. Prosecution Opening Argument (Miles Ehrlich)

• The prosecution argues that Hamlet knew killing was wrong and was capable of controlling his actions.
• Hamlet's reaction to his father's murder and his statements after killing Polonius demonstrate his understanding of the criminality of his actions.
• Hamlet's decision not to kill Claudius while he was praying shows his self-control and calculated planning.
• The prosecution contends that Hamlet's feigned madness is a strategy to avoid accountability.
• Hamlet is portrayed as a man capable of sane and rational thought, careful planning, and remarkable patience.

4. Defense Expert Witness Testimony (Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman)

• Dr. Lieberman, a psychiatrist, testifies that Hamlet suffered from schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type (diagnosis 295.7).
• He bases his diagnosis on Hamlet's behavior, thoughts, and the stressful life events he experienced.
• Hamlet exhibited symptoms of depression, psychosis (hallucinations and delusions), and mania.
• The ghost's command to avenge his murder is considered a command hallucination.
• Dr. Lieberman argues that Hamlet could not distinguish right from wrong or control himself when he killed Polonius due to his psychosis.
• He compares Hamlet's state of mind to that of Andrea Yates, who killed her children due to postpartum psychosis.

5. Prosecution Cross-Examination of Dr. Lieberman

• The prosecution questions Dr. Lieberman about the specifics of schizoaffective disorder and its impact on a person's ability to control their actions.
• Dr. Lieberman acknowledges that not everyone with schizoaffective disorder is incapable of understanding that killing is wrong.
• The prosecution highlights Hamlet's decision not to kill Claudius while he was praying as evidence of his self-control and rational decision-making.
• Dr. Lieberman explains that Hamlet's rationalization for not killing Claudius is a manifestation of his ambivalence, a key symptom of his disorder.
• The prosecution questions Dr. Lieberman about the timing of Hamlet's symptoms and the nature of his hallucinations.
• Dr. Lieberman clarifies that the ghost's appearance to others does not negate the possibility of Hamlet experiencing a hallucination.
• The prosecution points out that the DSM-4 warns against considering visions of dead relatives as psychotic in certain cultures.

6. Conclusion

• The mock trial presents conflicting perspectives on Hamlet's mental state and criminal responsibility.
• The defense argues that Hamlet's mental illness rendered him incapable of understanding the criminality of his actions or controlling his conduct.
• The prosecution argues that Hamlet was sane, rational, and capable of making calculated decisions, and that his feigned madness is a strategy to avoid accountability.
• The jury must weigh the evidence and determine whether the defense has proven by a preponderance of the evidence that Hamlet lacked criminal responsibility for the killing of Polonius.